I came here on a Tuesday, after 9:00PM, when the daily special ended. It's a dive bar. What more can you say. I did see someone order fried shrimp and the plate looked plentiful. I ordered two miller lites on tap, which were served in a plastic cup. It was on the warm side, but it was beer. They had both peanuts and popcorn at the bar. Service was a bit lacking, but honestly, the staff looked tired. They're human. I'm willing to bet this is a decent spot for George Mason students considering the daily specials, live band nights, and karaoke. read more

Fats Fairfax - Dive Bars Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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By far my favorite dive bar!! I wish I lived closer. Had such a great time here!! Our bartender was amazing and we had a lot of fun with her! We came in a Tuesday night so it was $2 drinks and $2 seafood apps! Would definitely come back! read more

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Love love love this little hole in the wall. Service food, and atmosphere are all amazing! read more

Fats Fairfax - Chicken wings and their crab dip was amazing. Look at that delicious little loaf of garlic bread that they serve with it. - Dive Bars Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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It's 2026 but no American Express. Staff seemed nice enough. Drove out here and got turned away over a perfectly acceptable credit card. Lame. read more

Surprisingly a fun little spot in a strip mall. It's kinda typical for a Cajun/Fat Tuesday spot in my opinion. Nothing too fancy. Happy hour specials rocked. Met two bartenders on our two visits and they both were fun and attentive. read more

I highly recommend this venue as it has live music karaoke and more and the food is delicious and the staff is great def recommend for a good night out read more

I've been coming here for years- as a college kid and an adult. The service is friendly and they've always got something going on! I'd also say the gumbo is the closest to the real thing that you can get in the area. This place is iconic and divey so be prepared to have fun! read more

It can be very frustrating trying to get food here because they are completely inconsistent about when the kitchen shuts down. One week I got here at just after 10:00 and they told me they stop serving at 10:00, so the next week I got there before 9:30 and they told me that they had stopped at 9:00. Both of these visits were on Saturday nights, so I'm not sure what the deal is. Either the first staff member had it wrong or it just changes from night to night, but either way that shouldn't happen, it should be consistent. The bouncer outside said that it depends on when the cook stops wanting to serve food. Costumers need predictability. For a place that advertises a unique New Orleans menu it seems like a really bad business decision to not make it so your customers can predict when they can actually get your New Orleans food. Like many others report, I was offered "Just wings and fries" - with only one choice for wing sauce flavor! Many of those reviews mention negative experiences with staff. It seems the owner may not be very present anymore to oversee things like they used to. On a similar note related to unpredictability, after my first visit I went to the bathroom before coming right back to the bar to pay my check. When I got back they informed me that they had already closed my tab. I had a fine experience the first time and was going to tip well anyway, but that just rubbed me the wrong way. It was not close to closing time or anything like that. I guess they really wanted to guarantee that 20% (25%?) automatic tip... At least the atmosphere was cool. Could be a little cleaner, but that's easy to overlook with all of the fun decorations they have and their patio area. Edit: According to another reviewer here, staff actually confronted them about leaving a previous negative review. This seems to fit a pattern of concerns many users have had about the staff. read more

Absolute horrendous bar. It is completely disgusting, unsanitary, and has some pretty lackluster live music... There's not even a door in one of the bathroom stalls. I was shocked to find that they only had wings and fries despite showing a full menu on the website. Bartenders are incompetent and rude. Will not be back. Wouldn't recommend. Don't waste your time. read more

Yesterday's Open mic was a shit experience. I understand a bar being a local dive but, there's a difference between this and a place being filthy and unsanitary... at least the decor was cool. Despite advertising a full cajun menu, the only items that were available were wings and fries; why bother having a menu posted at all as of that point? At some point in the night, 2 staff members gave a band shit because apparently their singer was underage. They went as far as to declare "this isn't some kiddy bar" even though earlier at the event there were at least a few performers who were minors and there was at least one kid in the bar with a parent. Allegedly, this band had gone as far as to call ahead of time where someone had confirmed they were okay to perform so long as the singer didn't go up to the bar and ask for alcohol. They could have easily checked the books, see who was staffing that night, and sent a text to confirm but couldn't be bothered even with the venue being half empty. I could understand the lack of problem solving in this situation if the bar was packed but it wasn't... These goofs are condescending hypocrites who lack any sense of professionalism and are bordering on incompetent! Is it so hard to mark minors with a sharpie or scan IDs? It's a college bar, I'm willing to bet fakes get through there all the time. Apparently, they don't have the budget to spend 2 dollars at a CVS for a marker nonetheless clean up the built up grime on the floors and tables of their bar. I'd give a 0 if I could... read more

I tried to vist this resturaunt again after a miserable experience last time. Once again the bouncer was rude asf to me what a suprise. I didnt even drink and he was confronting me telling me to "take my review down" what a surprise very expected. If you wonder why they have terrible reviews trust the reviews worst bar in Fairfax. read more

Disappointing visit recently. Came in on their Tuesday $2 wristband special day. There were three servers behind the bar, and the place was barely busy. Sat at a table, and waited for someone to come over as I have experienced over the past 10 years. None of the servers came over to ask if I wanted anything, or to let me know that I needed to order at the bar. Yeah, I could have gone up to the bar, call out, or wave. But that's their job, not to play on their phone as one bartender did. An older gentleman who is a regular, possibly the owner or manager, (he has a white curly-q mustache), passed by when he took out the trash can. Not a word. So I left after 20 minutes. read more

Great food, great beers, great fun!! I like to go for Wednesday trivia night, starting at 6:30, but it gets full so I try to arrive around 5:45. Everything I've had there besides a guest blood orange cider has been great. The Zydeco Wings are perhaps the best wings I've ever had, big fan!! The place is well decorated & it feels like you really are in New Orleans, I can't recommend highly enough! read more

This is a dive bar, which admittedly intimidated me before we arrived. I feared it feeling dingy and dirty, and generally feeling out of place. Quite contrarily, I fell in love with this bar. It isn't trying too hard to be anything. It has character without being especially run down. The crowd is surprisingly diverse, making it a place where I think almost anyone could feel comfortable. They have open mic nights on Monday, which is what we came for. The music was loud so don't plan to come for open mic and have a good conversation. But the performers were all solid and spanned many different genres. It was a fun time! As the night got later, more people showed up and the place filled out well. While there we grabbed some beers and grub and it all hit the spot. We got wings, fries, and fried pickles and they were all great. Again, they weren't trying to hard to be fancy and just did the standard version of the dish justice. To add to the wonders of this place, they have free peanuts at all the tables! Free food is the way to my heart and Fat Tuesdays has won it. If I drank more, Fat Tuesdays would totally be my spot. I can't wait to go back. read more

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you're bartenders were rude to our group and had bad attitudes, not friendly in the slightest. my friend brought in her own drink not knowing the rules, and the bartenders made a big deal out of it and kicked our whole group out after the rest of us purchased drinks. I totally understand the rules to not have an outside drink but they could have handle the situation much better. For example they could take the drink away and ask her to purchase a drink at the bar to compensate but to kick us out was extremely unnecessary. In addition to the unnecessary removal of our group once we went outside and left the bar one of the bartenders followed us and told us to come back onto the property to finish our drinks ( again understandable even though we were only two feet outside of the gate). When I took a moment to process what he said he put his hand on my arm to move me inside which I find very inappropriate. Also I would like mention I'm trying to leave zero stars but the app requires I leave at least one. read more

Gus is the rudest bartender I have ever met. Mo on the other hand is awesome! Gus acted like we were bothering him and didn't care. Gus also bad mouthed us in front of us and didn't have the courage to repeat what he said. read more

Don't open a tab ! They will charge u 25% !!!!! They like to I was approached by a bartender that didn't even help me saying I needed to tip ? I had no problem tipping.. but to the right bartender I was told to not come out because I couldn't afford to tip... mind you I'm more than capable of tipping read more

Never judge a book by its cover. Myself and two friends decided to take a road trip. Fat Tuesdays was selected online as the place that we would grab some grub and continue with our trip. Omg the outside of the place scared the crap out of us!. Honestly the exterior of the place looks like a redneck biker bar.. As liberated black women we decide to enter anyway. Once inside we seated ourselves at one of the high tables near the bar. All the while saying to ourselves that this place is a dump. We placed our order of drinks which were awesome . They definitely didn't hold back on the alcohol. There were roasted peanuts on all of the tables and yup you guessed it. The expectation is that you drop the shells on the floor‍. Well clutch my pearls, my mom would kill me for doing this. For starters we ordered wings and crab dip. They were delicious!! Oh can't forget the alligator bites that my friend ordered. I didn't like the texture of the meat but the seasoning in the batter was the bomb.com. At 9:00 it was time for Karaoke. Suddenly the place was jumping like a DC nightclub. We had a ball and will definitely come back. Oh and the service was quick, food was hot and fresh. We were treated like we had frequent the place often. Definitely a place to grab some grub while on a ride trip read more

Fats Fairfax - a woman with a smile - Dive Bars Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Just another filthy bar ripping off the New Orleans/Fat Tuesday theme. As soon as I walked in the waiter boy followed me inside to ask me for my ID. He didn't even ask if I needed help. I told him I was there to pick up my to-order which he didn't respond to. He then looked at my ID for two seconds and handed it back and walked back outside to run his mouth to other patrons outside on the patio. The food is subpar. Luckily the woman behind the bar was nice. read more

In the past... about 3-5 years ago, I LOVED coming here on Tuesdays because of the great deals you get on drinks and food. This is actually the place that I first tried fried gator bites! I came back here recently, on a Tuesday and the vibe seem to have changed a little. I don't know if it's because it's "Covid times", or if I just came at an off hour. They still had good drinks and food deals. I like coming for the shucked oysters and soup of the day. My husband had their Po'boy, and boy was it a hefty sandwich! The oysters are served with the typical cocktail sauce and horse radish and is not as pricy as some places - that being said, I cant say that the quality of the oysters are up to par with other Oyster bars in the area. I do really enjoy the divey-ness ambiance of this place and will consider coming back, but only on days when the deals are available. read more

Parked in handicapped parking (with my handicapped pass clearly displayed) to go to a nearby store, and one of the workers who was setting up tables outside had the nerve to ask "what's your handicap?" in a nasty way. None of your business, that's what! You can't just ask people that, and definitely not in a nasty way that implies they shouldn't be parking there. I certainly won't be giving any business to a place where workers are this disgusting and rude to random people just going about their day. And if you're so concerned about people who park in handicapped parking, maybe don't spray water so that it runs down into the handicapped parking spots. read more

This place is a solid A-OK, and yes, it is a dive bar, right down to the ID check upon entry, peanuts, & sticky bar. This was my first visit. Hubby had been here before although it was long ago. I had seen a posting about marti gras celebrations at this place and was curious about checking it out. Prior to this hubby had always steered my elsewhere but this time I was determined and we had time to kill. The ID guy was nice and chatty. When we entered there was no initial greeting. We found a table but moved to the bar because we were not sure how to get service. The bar needed a wipe down. The wall decorations and style made sense when I learned they opened in the early 80s. I tried not to think too much about the grease on the decorations and how old it might be... On my first visit I was not brave enough to try the gator. We ordered the loaded fries and I had a cider (they were out of the beer I initially ordered). The fries were pretty good. I used the ranch dressing and the hot sauce. The guy we interacted with was nice. Sure he figured out we were killing time before a movie but he didn't mind. While it was clear there was a regular crowd I did not feel unwelcome. The cider was pretty good as were the fries. While the bar needed a wipe down the floor was not sticky (sticky floors are an important limit on my dive bar meter...). I could see us visiting again before or after a movie or other event in the area (or perhaps for marti gras themed shenanigans). Neither of us visited a bathroom, I was just not feeling that brave (or desperate). read more

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do NOT come here!! first and last time we will be coming. while they have great patrons that save the atmosphere, the service itself is awful with food double the price it's worth and trash left on every table. one of the servers refused us service all together for not tipping him enough by just saying "yeah i'm refunding your order" and laughed in our faces when we questioned him. save your time and money and go to a different bar. read more

Fat Tuesdays is the first bar I ever went to when I turned 21 a long long time ago. I just went in there the other day lets call it 15 or so years later, and the place hasn't changed much at all. Dark. Dingy. And they have beer and fried food. The perfect dive bar and one of the ONLY ONES you will find in the area. Overall I've probably been here at least 50 times. I like the peanuts, the decor and especially love the Tuesday specials where beers and clams and shrimp and such are all $2. They also had $2 vodka bombs I think. Basically, you can get housed here for very cheap and keep your stomach filled so you don't get sick, then watch a movie at the $2 theater, walk to a concert at GMU, or go to class... They have a patio which is nice. I've been there on Mardi Gras and it is crowded. When they have a live band its impossible to be inside because it is so loud. The waitresses are typically as Borat would say "Very niiice". Probably GMU peeps. They are cool. The crowd is typically old and weathered although sometimes there will be some students there (GMU students live at home so its not like a regular college). If you have ever gone out for Ramen, or eaten at a Whole Foods this probably isn't the place for you. The restaurant has good fried seafood options, and a great sauce. But beware the after effects when you get home. And word to the wise...listen to the famous Kevin L of GMU...avoid the Gator Bites (although they are delicious). read more

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Disgusting place. The service is non existent and expect 20% + tip and they will tell you to your face. I tipped 10% since I had to go to the bar and ask and grab my drinks and they told me I was a shi% tipper. I don't make a lot of money and I wish I could be more generous. I confronted the waitress after being told how I was a shi@ tipper and was told to leave and that they are refusing service. Disgusting and unprofessional. This place deserves its low rating for sure. Much better places in this area. read more

I've been going to fats for more than 7 years as a regular on Wednesday nights. I would recommend to my happy hour group of over 10 people to meet me there and suddenly the partial owner completely disrespected me and my group. I know the owner Ron would never act or treat a long-standing client the way Bob treated all of us! Especially given the amount of time we spent in that bar! The bar is a complete dive, the bathrooms are disgusting. It used to be my all time favorite place to hang out with my friends but Bob has totally ruined it for us! The fact that I'm partially disabled makes it even worse! I waited a month before writing this review. But then my two of my friends stopped in for a drink last night and they were also ignored when trying to buy a drink. It was totally uncalled for and unacceptable for an establishment to treat a client like fats have done read more

Fat Tuesday's isn't the sort of restaurant I go to when I want to be impressed. It looks dirty inside, pretty much all the food is unhealthy (except the shrimp cocktail and oysters?), and you're encouraged to put your peanut shells on floor. It has a sort of "locals' hangout" vibe that I really enjoy though. The happy hour prices and beer selections are worth 4 stars in their own. I think there's live music since nights, but I don't know about that personally. We usually come here before heading to the University Mall Theater to catch a second run film we missed during its prime run. read more

Walking into Fat Tuesday's left me super confused. The New Orleans themed bar was dark and slightly dated. It was almost as if Mardi Gras, the ocean, and a musical festival threw up inside... Basically it seems like a bar that has taken every stereotype of New Orleans and crammed it into a small space. If you've never been to Louisiana than you probably wouldn't notice that most bars in New Orleans don't look like Fat Tuesdays. Friday night around 9:30 and the crowd was a mix between 40 year olds and some over the top frat guys who had too much to drink. Surprisingly there were no drink specials going on but they had an OK selection to choose from. The hurricane was super strong like it should, however; all you could taste is the alcohol. The great thing about a hurricane in New Orleans is you literally don't taste any alcohol. The beer and cider tasted as they should, I wish Fat Tuesday froze their glasses so the drinks would stay colder longer. The New Orleans themed continued on to the food. I was pleasantly surprised with the size of the menu, especially at a bar. I got a little too excited and then noticed there weren't any beneighs #bummed. We went with fried pickles, Cajun fries, and cheese fries. Basically the only vegetarian things on the menu. The only disappointing appetizer were the cheese fries, they came out covered in bacon. 1. The menu doesn't indicate bacon. 2. As vegetarians we don't eat meat. I quickly asked the waiter if we could get new ones (due to reasons 1 and 2). He seemed extremely confused and told me he wasn't sure. That made no sense because if you're going to put meat, espically pork on something your menu needs to reflect that- it's no longer the customers fault for sending an item back if you don't. The new fries took about a half hour and to be honest I almost left before they got there. Service was friendly but I don't believe for one second our waiter was over 21, since he was severing us alcohol it's a little concerning. I also couldn't help but wonder if he was high the entire time. The night we were there there was a great live artist playing. The crowd really liked him and I would probably only go back if he was there. Otherwise we won't be back. Side note-Fat Tuesdays doesn't accept American Express. read more

Man, this place really is a 2.5 star place, it's total crap. It is after all a dive though. However, it grows on you. It's the type of crap that has character! Fats is located in University Mall, which I am sure is forever old; Dark, with light coming from their TVs and random spot lights. The floor is covered in peanut shells. There is all sorts of random items, I always seem to find something new - last week it was a trophy and a few bras, yes, bras. This week: random paintings and arcade games in the back. It's usually been pretty busy and there's usually only 3 servers on the floor, so don't have expectations that they're going to come around often if you need anything. I've become a big fan of $2 Tuesdays - $2 for a wrist band which means you can have $2 for a plate of 1/4 lb. shrimp, beer, vodka bombs, and who knows what else. It's bar food, again, don't have high expectations, just know that you won't get sick eating here :-) Also, don't bother with the $2 clams, they are total crap and they will not grow on you. But keep bringing on the plates of shrimp! Favorite part - Going to see a $2 movie next door at the equally low-key theater. So far, it hasn't gotten old. read more

Fats Fairfax - $2 clams *barf* - Dive Bars Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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My good ole faithful bar. I went here for NYE and honestly I had a good time. 1. Bartenders were prompt, obviously some make better drinks than others but they're good for this kind of bar. 2. The DJ was awesome. Wish he didn't play so much damn country music tho, the music was way better at the beginning verses the end of the night. But great style nonetheless. All in all, I had a fun night with good friends. Happy New Year! read more

First of all, understand what Fat's is. It's a dive bar where you go to get good food and great beer in a fun atmosphere. Being across the street from GMU Patriot Center, you of course find a lot of young folks here. There is live music on most nights, and special events every day. It's a great place to catch sports games too. The decor is what it is, a mass of stuff accumulated over the past 25+ years, much of it donated by regular patrons. If you want a fancy hifalutin restaurant, look elsewhere. Fat's is known for their cajun/New Orleans cuisine. The wings are excellent. The bacon cheese fries are excellent - especially with the house made ranch! I don't even like ranch and I could drink this stuff... the gumbo, red beans and rice and jambalaya are authentic and delicious. Come on Mondays for the "taste of New Orleans" where you get a salad, entree and garlic bread for only $10. Cheap wings and onion rings on Wednesdays. PRO-TIP: A new thing they're doing is "micro mondays" where reps from local breweries come with a special beer to put on tap. You can meet and talk to these reps, who usually have free swag to give out. Discounted growlers are also offered. So far I've seen DC Brau, Ocelot, O'Connor, Fair Winds and Old Bust Head. If you like craft beer, dives and or good food, you owe it to yourself to check this place out! read more

Fats Fairfax - Bell's Hopslam, hard to find - Dive Bars Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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I cannot fault Fats for being a POS college dive bar, but damn this place is growing on me. Is it possible, am I beginning to love it??? Perhaps the charm is in the fact that there are no pretensions of being anything more than it is? What's more is that there is an eclectic mix of patrons from college students, to white collar folks slumming it. Loving it! I especially like the ad for the drunk taxi that is advertised on the wall above the urinals. They offer to drive you and your car back to your house on those nights where you may have overindulged! Genius! The best night to come in, and certainly a busy night, is on Tuesday. $2 Tuesdays is such a find with $2 beers, rail drinks, cough syrup-esque vodka shots, 1/4 shrimp plate(winner!), oysters, and clams. There are also other specials on other nights which are not to be missed. Indeed, Fats is a gem and I'm not just saying that because I like throwing the free peanut shells on the ground! :D read more

I really enjoy doing karaoke here! Very non-judge mental crowd. Bar tenders are always nice and pretty quick.

I came in here with a friend before a concert and I really thought that this was the Fat Tuesday with all the Frozen mixed drinks. I'll just tell you right now that it's not. However, the drink choices were great and were priced fairly. The bartender was very friendly and there are peanuts that you can snack on between drinks and before and after your meal. The peanuts are free and I'll tell you that you'll be stepping on shells throughout the restaurant lol their menu look pretty interesting but we decided to eat a few Doors Down. If I'm in the area I definitely will go back and enjoy some of their other drink choices because the mai tai that I had was so delicious and strong. LOL read more

This is my first visit to Fat Tuesday's in about 25 years. It was a dive bar when it first opened and yes pretty close to when I started going there. It's located across from GMU at University mall. It's pretty much the same as I remember. The doors are new but that's about it. Many of the menu items are the same. Great sandwiches and the peanuts that you eat and throw the shells on the floor. If you're looking for fine dining this isn't it although most of the sandwiches are solid. Great selection of beers and liquor. The vibe is New Orleans. I miss this place. Reminds me of when I was a student at Mason over 25 years. I'll be back sooner this time!! read more

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Still open with prompt and friendly service. I only show up every other month but the staff remembers me. The food is pretty good. Not as good as Chef Matt in Fats of Warrenton, but still hits the spot. The crowd is relatively young considering the proximity to GMU but I still feel welcome despite being old enough to be half their parents'age. Smoking outdoors only but doesn't feel like you miss anything on stage when live music plays. read more

It was actually a nice little bar. They had a stage there. On some nights, they book 5 bands that all take turns playing throughout the night. Then, a couple of the nights will be dedicated to one band (usually a popular local band) and then the rest of the nights are dedicated to "open mic" or jam sessions. This is what I got to see. A bunch of random musicians, who have never met, take turns getting on stage and jamming out together. Sometimes, they will even cover songs together. The bar is located right across the street from George Mason University. At first, I was worried it would be a bunch of young college kids who have never gotten drunk before. Luckily, the bar is 21+ so, the age group was diverse. Mainly middle twenties to early sixties. On One night, they have $1 shots of vodka (so that's the night to stay away to avoid the young college kids, or so I've been told). The food is also great! You get free peanuts when you first sit down. The menu looks pretty awesome too. They have a lot of Cajun food. Defiantly influenced heavily by Louisiana cooking. I was eyeing the fried crawfish tails but, I ended up ordering the fried Alligator. It was my first time eating alligator and it was great! I will be trying those crawfish next time I come here! read more

Fats Fairfax - Fried Alligator! Cooked with southern spices, evened out by the creamy cherry wine sauce!! Tastes like chicken and calamari. - Dive Bars Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

This place is a dive..and not even in a good way. It is located on the rear (hee, she said "rear") of University Mall. Often, if we go to a late movie over at University Theater in the same complex, we hit this spot for dinner or a cold one and I am always disappointed. The decor is mostly what you would expect from a place called "Fat Tuesday." There are beads hanging from the ceiling and the wall. There is also a clock that is constantly counting down to Mardi Gras. Good points? Well, they do have decent bands come in and play live on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Also- their happy hour deals are sweet- two buck domestic beers (or two fifty for a micro brew or rail drink). There's also food specials like half price Po' Boys...but the food is awful here. read more

Fats Fairfax - Dive Bars Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

'Twas there last night and they cut me off because "I seemed to be acting weird" never going to this place again bartenders are terrible and not nice. Do not go here read more

Went in for the open mic night and was told that it ran until 1 am. When we got there (open mic had just started and we are 3 people of color) and signed up on the list, the DJ took the pen and rudely crossed our names off claiming the list was "full" without any further explanation. After leaving the bar, we called and asked to perform and we were told to "Come right on in!". Was the list full or are there "color exclusions that apply?" read more